Placement of the Pawn
by The Tenth
Summary: Suguru shows up at Tohma's apartment for an audition that will place him in his first rock band. The photo shoot turns out to be more revealing than Suguru ever expected...


AN: I'm not sure that it's plausible enough for canon. It may be best to think of it as the Suguru Remix that never was. _Arigatou _to Aja for beta reading.

Thanks in advance for your comments and criticism! I'll put them to good use in future writing!

Nolan

**Placement of the Pawn**

"Green! I hadn't expected such a bold color on you, cousin," Tohma exclaimed when he opened the door.

Fujisaki Suguru clutched his folder of sheet music to his chest. In a grim voice, he said, "I tried purple. It was too vivid."

Tohma chuckled and waved a dismissive hand. "You needn't be so serious about it. I think it suits you well. Please, come inside."

The young keyboardist slipped off his shoes and followed Tohma down the hall as the blond man beckoned.

"To be honest, I'm impressed," Tohma said as he led his cousin toward the music room. "When I said you'd have to change your hair color to look more like a rock star, I expected you to go with something more conservative. Blond highlights, for instance."

Suguru shook his head. A conservative move like highlights had been his first instinct as well, but he decided it wasn't enough. Besides, he wanted to avoid blond lest people think he was merely following in his cousin's shadow. Suguru ultimately chose a dark jade color because it was a shade he had never seen on another rock musician.

"That would be too common. The point is to leave an impression, right?" he said. It was a perfectly logical decision. If Tohma said that changing his hair color would increase his chances as a successful musician, he may as well go all out.

"Indeed," Tohma said, with a cryptic smile. "It's a good sign of your dedication. You need to be willing to take risks in this business." He gave Suguru another look-over. "I like your outfit, too. _Très chic."_

Suguru took another glance down at his collared silk shirt and hip-hugging slacks. Tohma had told him to dress his best for this placement interview so Suguru chose the most stylish set in his wardrobe. Of course, it had been a present from Tohma the year before. "You bought it for me, actually."

"Hmm," Tohma said. The look on his face made it clear he didn't remember. "Well, I guess we both have good taste then," he chuckled.

Suguru stood at Tohma's keyboard and set his music on the stand. His hands were as steady as stone, but his insides fluttered and he felt nauseated. Tohma had invited Suguru to his apartment for a private audition. Even though he was president of N-G, Tohma insisted Suguru go through the formality of a brief keyboard demonstration and have some publicity photos taken before granting him formal assignment to a band.

Suguru knew his cousin was aware of his musical talent, but he also knew Tohma was reluctant about Suguru's age and style not being fully ready for the rock scene. This meeting would determine his placement in a band and his future as a musician. It was nothing to take lightly.

The musical portion of the audition went well. Suguru showed off his original arrangements of old Nittle Grasper songs and demonstrated his skill on the keyboard by playing Tohma's part on them. Playing for an audience of one was a little awkward, but Suguru focused himself utterly on the music. Passion flowed through his fingers as if he was on stage during a live performance. Tohma did not say much, but Suguru recognized the serene smile on his cousin's face that showed he was well pleased.

Afterward, the two moved to the study that served as an impromptu photography studio. A maroon crushed velvet backdrop hung from the far wall and various lamps provided artistic lighting. In front of the backdrop sat a black velvet fainting couch where Suguru figured he would be posing.

Tohma picked up an expensive-looking camera from the dresser and began fidgeting with the lens. "Go ahead and take your clothes off," he said casually, motioning for Suguru toward the couch.

"Wh-what?" Suguru said. He wasn't sure that he'd heard right, but Tohma fixed him with a 'you-heard-me' look.

Suguru felt a little embarrassed but he supposed it wasn't so uncommon for rockers to pose shirtless in publicity shots. Struggling to look as nonchalant as possible, he unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off, revealing his pale slender chest. Without much in the way of muscle definition, Suguru doubted the topless look was especially flattering, but he figured it would be unwise to argue with Tohma's judgment. The man had experience with these things, after all. Suguru sat stiffly on the edge of the fainting couch. "How do you want me to sit?" he asked, uncertain how to pose on the couch.

Tohma looked up from adjusting the camera and frowned in disapproval. "I meant everything. Not just your shirt," he said.

Suguru maintained a stony expression, but a pink blush dusted his cheeks. "Wait… What are these pictures going to be used for again?" he asked.

Tohma arched an eyebrow at his cousin. "I thought you were serious about this," he said. "Perhaps you're not ready yet, if you're going to get camera shy at a publicity shoot. Are you having second thoughts?"

Suguru's blush deepened, but he shook his head. "No," he said firmly, "I'm ready for this." He hesitated only a moment then began to remove his belt. He looked away as he slipped off his pants, then folded them and set them aside.

When he'd stripped down to nothing but his navy blue briefs, he shot a nervous glance back at Tohma again.

_Surely he couldn't mean for me to--_

Tohma's stern gaze left no room for interpretation, however. He clearly intended Suguru to wear nothing at all. The dark-haired keyboardist closed his eyes in embarrassment. He maintained as dignified an expression as he could muster as he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear and pulled them down his lean thighs.

_I'm sure this can't be as bad as it seems,_ he told himself, _Tohma's sure to have some artistic pose in mind so I'll be covered in all the pictures._

Suguru set his underwear in the corner with his other clothes and immediately sat down on the black velvet couch. He pressed his knees together and covered himself with his hands in his lap. He could only pray he didn't look as mortified as he felt while he waited for further instruction.

_chhk_

There was a click of a shutter flashing open and Suguru realized Tohma had just taken a picture of him. "Sorry. My finger slipped," Tohma said in a matter-of-fact tone before the naked boy could protest. "All right. I think we're ready."

"H-how should I pose?" Suguru asked stiffly. He wished there was a pillow with which to cover himself, but he was left with no option but to await instruction from his cousin.

Tohma put a hand to his chin and regarded the scene with an artist's critical eye. Suguru felt a distant sense of relief that at least his cousin was treating the situation with maturity. It was the only thing that kept him from burning up with embarrassment.

"Lean against the back of the couch," Tohma instructed. "Right… Like that," he said as Suguru moved to comply. "Scooch your hips farther back… Okay. Now put your heels up on the edge of the seat cushion."

Suguru followed instructions and found himself sitting upright with his back upright against the back of the couch with his legs drawn close to his chest. He pressed his feet and knees tightly together, his heels up on the cushion in front of him. It was embarrassing, but not quite revealing from head-on. Suguru wrapped his arms around his knees. He supposed he could understand the purpose to the pose if Tohma had something waifish and titillating in mind.

Tohma gestured with his hands outward in a parting motion. "Now spread your ankles apart."

Suguru balked. If he spread his legs at all in this pose, the camera would see everything. "Y-you're joking," he said stiffly, "Stop giving me a hard time."

_chhk_

Tohma snapped another picture even though Suguru hadn't posed yet. "I'm not joking," he said, "These photos are nudes, plain and simple. They are intended to be very revealing."

"What are these pictures for, anyway?" Suguru asked again, "It just seems that—"

Tohma's demeanor grew dark. "Suguru," he said, "I understand your reservations but I assure you these photos are necessary. These poses may seem rather embarrassing and that was why I offered to take them myself rather than leaving it to a stranger. I'm an extremely busy man, so I hope you're not telling me that I'm wasting my time with all of this."

Alarm fluttered in Suguru's chest when he saw Tohma's facial expression. He was used to his cousin's warm and jovial demeanor, not this cold impatience. Suguru knew his cousin was a brilliant businessman and figured there was a harder side to him as well, but it was truly terrifying to have the hard gaze of those frost-blue eyes turned on him in anger.

The dark-haired boy didn't budge, but had to protest further. "I just don't see wh—"

Tohma's irritation overcame his delicate care of the camera and he set it down with a heavy thump. "Look," he said darkly, "You came here today because you want to make it in the music industry, yes?"

Suguru nodded, finding it difficult to meet Tohma's eyes.

"Well, I can tell you right now," Tohma continued, "You may not agree with every decision your superiors make, but your job is to obey, not to question. Your future manager will not owe you answers to your every question, so you'd do well to learn to nod your head instead of asking why."

Even while Suguru averted his gaze, Tohma's intense stare never wavered. "If you think you can pick and choose your performances and promotions as a novice, you are mistaken," Tohma said, "If you feel you need to be completely comfortable with every assignment you're given, you may as well quit right now. So my question to you is: Are you serious about this career or aren't you?"

Suguru set his jaw. "I am dead set on it," he said. He still ached to ask questions he felt deserved answers, but he didn't dare protest further after Tohma's scolding. If he raised his voice one more time in reluctance, Tohma was sure to call the whole thing off.

Suguru swallowed hard. His face burned with embarrassment and he turned his gaze away to one side, but he forced himself to part his legs as instructed.

_chhk _ Tohma's camera captured the heated moment with a mundane click.

"Rock your hips farther forward," Tohma said, "Spread your knees more." Suguru's cheeks blazed red with humiliation as his cousin took the photographs in a lewd position, but he posed as Tohma requested.

_chhk chhk _ The shutter blinked twice and captured Suguru's ashamed blush and exposed body.

"Now put your finger inside," Tohma said. His voice was calm, but left no doubt that he intended for the young musician to insert a finger into himself.

"_What?"_ Suguru gaped incredulously. _Surely Tohma couldn't be serious!_

Tohma set the camera aside and gathered up Suguru's music folder from the table next to him. "Get out," the N-G president said flatly. He threw the music in Suguru's direction and the boy was too stunned to catch it. The folder bounced off the young keyboardist's shin and exploded open. A cloud of sheet music fluttered to the floor.

"You're clearly not ready for this and you're wasting my time," Tohma said, "I had faith in your musical genius and trust you as my own blood, but if you can't handle something as simple as this, there's no way you can handle the rock scene."

The blond turned his back on Suguru, put the lens cap back in place, and began to pack up the camera. "Go back to playing classical piano for empty concert halls, Suguru. If you can't trust me professionally, then you will never make it on the N-G label. If your distrust is personal and you think I am getting some perverse satisfaction out of this, then I'm gravely insulted. We're family for God's sake!"

Tohma waved a hand of dismissal. "Either way, get out and stop wasting my time. I'm a busy man."

Suguru gaped at his cousin from where he lay back on the couch and brought his legs together again. "I-I…" he stammered. Papers rustled as he shifted in place. Scattered music still surrounded him like bomb shrapnel.

What _did_ he think Tohma was up to? His blush deepened when Tohma directly confronted his fear that he was getting some sexual gratification out of taking the pictures. He felt stupid for suspecting his cousin in the first place. Tohma wasn't a pervert like that and he never gave Suguru any hint to suggest otherwise.

Of course, it drove Suguru mad with curiosity to know what the pictures _would_ be used for, but he didn't dare ask. Tohma said it wasn't personal, but the pictures were necessary, and if Tohma wasn't the one to take the pictures, it would be a stranger as a photographer.

More importantly, Tohma did have a point about following orders without question. Suguru supposed being a rock star was like being a soldier in that sense. His job was merely to perform to his utmost, regardless of where his superiors sent him or what he thought of their directives.

"I was wrong," Suguru said. Knowing Tohma was a fan of formal contrition, he bowed his head in apology. "I won't ask questions. I trust you."

Suguru also knew his cousin believed actions more than words so he reclined on the couch and resumed his lewd spread-legged pose. He told himself that the photos weren't going to be used for anything, that it was just a hazing or initiation test he had to pass to move on to the next step in his music career. Enduring was the only way to get through it.

Suguru did his best to maintain his dignified expression even though his cheeks burned with humiliation. He hastily sucked on his middle finger to moisten it and pressed the tip inside himself.

A phantom smile returned to Tohma's face. "I'm glad I can count on you, Suguru," he said, "You'll go far."

Tohma took dozens of pictures in various poses. Suguru parted his lips, thrust out his hips, and touched himself exactly as instructed. The younger cousin said nothing to complain and Tohma returned the favor by being as methodical and professional as possible.

_chhk chhk chhk _ Suguru's shameful abandon was immortalized on film.

When Tohma finished his third roll of film, he had enough pictures to start an amateur porn site. Not that he had any intention of letting the pictures ever fall into the hands of another unless he had to, of course.

"You've done well," Tohma said. He turned his back to let Suguru get dressed while he returned the camera to its case. "I think I've got just the assignment for you…"

When Suguru was dressed, Tohma handed him a press packet for the newly-assigned band. "The group is called 'Bad Luck,' but don't let the name fool you. The band shows all the potential of a rising star. The only thing it lacks is a keyboardist of your caliber to truly rise to greatness."

What he said about Bad Luck was true, of course, but that was far from Tohma's true motive for placing Suguru in the group. The real reason had little to do with music at all, but revolved entirely on Bad Luck's unreliable lead vocalist, Shuichi. More specifically, dear Eiri's relationship with the little upstart was starting to look like more than a passing phase. Tohma decided it was time to take steps of his own to put an end to it.

Infiltration was key to getting information on this interloper and Tohma could think of no person he trusted more to act as an unwitting spy than his own cousin. Tohma's threats to drop Suguru were hollow, of course. In truth, the president felt he would almost be willing to beg his younger cousin to join Bad Luck if it meant he could keep his thumb over Eiri's love life.

Of course, begging had never been Tohma's style. He found most pawns were happier doing his bidding when they were convinced that they were the ones getting the best out of a deal. The rolls of incriminating film in Tohma's pocket were just a little extra "insurance" in case Suguru ever decided to do something foolish like leave the band.

Suguru turned towards Tohma and bowed, holding the folders of music and Bad Luck photos together. "I won't disappoint you," he said in his most formal tone, "Thank you for this."

Tohma smiled gently. "That's what family is for."


End file.
